Stats back up Texans’ C.J. Stroud putting Cowboys’ Dak Prescott in his top 5 QBs of 2023
In this day and age of social media, where everyone has a podcast or other means of sharing their ideas, you never know when something worth listening to will be spoken. Such is the case with the most recent episode of Barstool Sports’ “Million Dollars Worth of Game” podcast, in which Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud joined the show to discuss a variety of issues. However, in the conversation, the comment that is getting the most attention appears to be the discourse between Stroud and the fellas as he provided his top five QBs of the NFL following the 2023 season, and yep, Dak Prescott was in there.
C.J. Stroud says Dak Prescott is a top 5 QB
Stroud just finished one of the most outstanding rookie seasons by a quarterback in NFL history. A legitimate MVP candidate who appears to be quickly reversing the Texans’ fortunes. That is not to say that his viewpoint is always correct, but when a player of this rising stature in the game comments, it may be worth hearing. It’s worth noting that Stroud has placed Dak amid a group that includes himself, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts.
Say what you want about the inclusion of Hurts here after a down year, but speaking more directly to Prescott and how he is viewed, this take has people talking.
Men lie, numbers don’t
Prescott has never had a losing season in a year he was healthy and has been one of the league’s most consistent QBs for the overwhelming majority of his career.
In 2023 he was first in touchdown passes, third in passing yards, and third in completion percentage behind only Mason Rudolph and Jake Browning who threw 273 fewer passes than Prescott, combined.
A deeper dive into Prescott’s season and the numbers become even clearer as to just how well he played in 2023. He had an 82.6 on-target throw percentage which was tied for first in the NFL, 11.6 bad throw percentage (2nd), 6.0 big-time throw percentage (T-1st), 2.2 turnover-worthy play percentage (T-2nd), and the second best passer rating in the NFL with 105.9.
Nobody denies that this team needs to take the next step in the playoffs, where we would all agree it ultimately matters the most for a proud franchise. However, with a clear look at measurable things, the metrics, numbers, and production tell us that Prescott is more than capable of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Love him or hate him, he commands respect
The discourse surrounding Dak has always run the gamut of opinion. When you’re the QB of America’s Team, the reality is you are under an intense microscope when you wear the star.
Somewhere along the way, his production became his burden, as he was no longer viewed as a fun story or an overachieving Day 3 pick, but rather as a disappointment that he had not been able to achieve the final aim.
Prescott is a high-level quarterback in the NFL, and Cowboys management believes so. They understand that what they have in him is not readily replaceable, much like many others in the NFL. So although fans may be either bought in or disdainful of this analysis, the Cowboys front office and others across the league perceive him as a great quarterback, as he has proved throughout his career.
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